Southwestern Men's Basketball Opens Conference Play

CHULA VISTA --- Through eleven games Southwestern men's basketball has collected a trio of wins and quality losses to teams with a combined record of 60-30. Southwestern's non-conference schedule may have meant early defeats, but for a team with limited experience playing together, going up against teams with winning records has prepared the Jags in a way no scrimmage or practice drill can. Head Coach Tyrone Shelley assembled a challenging slate that provided immediate competitiveness to lead into conference readiness.

Pacific Coast Athletic Conference play is here and Southwestern is out to prove it hasn't lost its bite. The Jaguars now turn its attention to the first of sixteen conference tilts when they visit the Palomar Comets in the league opener for both teams on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 5:00 PM.

Southwestern is led by sophomore shooting guard Derek Edmond, who is averaging 23.7 points (3rd in the state), 5.3 rebounds and a team-high 31.5 minutes per game. The Jags rely on Edmond heavily, and he is a high-volume scorer capable of shaping outcomes. He is the offensive anchor and brings experience and confidence to every possession fueled by his ability to score in multiple ways, including a 40-point performance at Citrus College on Dec. 5.

Edmond shoots an average of 18.5 attempts per game, but he is not the only scorer that the Jaguars have. Sophomore forward Christian Gamboa, freshman guard Tres Luzey and forward Aaron Owens are averaging 9.4, 9.0, and 7.8 points per game, respectively.

Defending and limiting turnovers (16.5 per game) will be keys heading into conference competition for Southwestern. If the team plays intense perimeter, physical interior defense and consistently rebounds, then the Jags should have a reliable path to victory beyond scoring.

SOUTHWESTERN (key stats)
Overall Record: 3-8
Conference Record: 0-0

PTS Per Game: 73.7
FG%: 38.9
3PT%: 28.5
FT%: 70.5
DEF PTS Per Game: 81.4

PALOMAR (key stats)
Overall Record: 7-4
Conference Record: 0-0

PTS Per Game: 82.7
FG%: 46.8
3PT%: 32.7
FT%: 72.6
DEF PTS Per Game: 79.5